In a conventional computer game, a game console such as a Playstation, Xbox, Gamecube or Wii is connected to a television set and individual player controllers are connected to the game console. In this arrangement, each player sees everything displayed on the television screen. In many multi-player computer games, however, it may be desirable to limit the display of certain information to one of the players so that his opponent(s) cannot see that information. For example, in various sports games such as Madden '07 and similar games, the offensive and defensive players have the opportunity to select both their team's formation and a particular play. In commercially available versions of these games, this is done with one player knowing the other player's selected formation and which plays are available for selection since they are displayed on the screen in front of him.
FIGS. 13 and 14 depict the general format of the offensive and defensive player formation selection screens 1300 and play selection screens 1400 in Madden '07. Formation selection screen 1300 comprises upper and lower formation selection boxes 1310 and 1320 and scoreboard 1390 in between. Play selection screen 1400 is similar and comprises upper and lower play selection boxes 1410 and 1420 and scoreboard 1490 inbetween. In FIG. 13, the defensive player formations are shown at the top in box 1310 and the offensive player formations are shown at the bottom in box 1320. Scoreboard 1390 displays logos 1330 or other indicia representative of the teams (in this case, Cowboys and Eagles), score boxes 1340, a play clock 1350, a game clock 1360, a possession dot 1370 indicating which team has the ball, and a yard marker 1380. Each player selects one of the formations displayed in boxes 1310 or 1320 by scrolling through a series of possible formations and clicking a button or operating a similar selection mechanism on his controller when he reaches the desired formation. FIG. 13 depicts the display for selection of a 3-4 defensive formation and a singleback offensive formation.
When the formation is selected, multiple plays from that formation are then presented to the player and the player then selects one of these plays to run. The defensive player's play selections are shown at the top of FIG. 14 in box 1410 and the offensive player's play selections are shown at the bottom in box 1420. Scoreboard 1490 contains the same elements as scoreboard 1390 with the element numbers incremented by 100. FIG. 14 depicts the display for selection of three plays from the 3-4 defensive formation and three plays from the singleback offensive formation. The play clock 1450 specifies the offensive player's time to select a play. If he fails to select a play in the specified time, a delay of game penalty results. The defensive player has an additional 10 seconds after the offensive player selects a play to select a defensive play. The defensive player's time to make a selection is also displayed by play clock 1450. If the defensive player fails to select a defensive play in 10 seconds, the most recent defensive play is repeated.